Parks Commission
The Parks Commission consists of five elected residents of the city with staggered terms. Commissioners are responsible for supervising Montpelier's Parks and its staff. Scroll down on this page for minutes and meeting agendas, and information on recent topics that have come before the commission such as incident reporting, dog policies and mountain biking.

Dear Montpelier Voters,
On Town Meeting Day this year, you’ll be electing one person to fill an open seat on the Montpelier Parks Commission. But we actually need to fill two seats on our five-member Commission because one commissioner resigned before their term was up. The Commission has the authority to appoint someone to fill this vacated term. We intend to fill the vacancy with the election’s second-place finisher.

So even though you can vote for only one Parks Commissioner from among three on the ballot, the top two finishers will take seats on the Commission in March. The winner of the election will serve the standard, open five-year term; the second-place finisher will fill the vacated seat until the 2016 Town Meeting Day election.

We urge you all to get out and vote on Town Meeting Day, March 3. Thanks!

Sincerely,
The Montpelier Parks Commission

Meetings

The Parks Commission normally meets monthly on the third Tuesday of the month in the conference room of the Police Station (if not there check the Memorial Room at City Hall). The public is welcome to attend any of its meetings. Please contact Geoff Beyer, Parks Director, for further information. Meeting Minutes are posted in Meeting minutes of the City's website main page and in the parks department sections.

Spring 2014 MAMBA Mountain Bike ProposalMAMBA brought a proposal for mountain biking to the Parks Commission in spring 2014. At the October 2014 meeting the commission agreed to take up the question of mountain biking with a public meeting planned for January 2015. The documents below are from the spring proposal. We anticipate an updated proposal from MAMBA for consideration in January. Those documents will be posted here as soon as they are submitted to the commission.
Please send all comments to Parks-Commission@montpelier-vt.orgSpring 2014 Mountain Biking ProposalSpring 2014 Mountain Biking Proposal Map

Dog Policy and Communication SubcommitteeThe Dog Policy and Communication Subcommittee produced a report to the Park Commission at the end of August. The Dog Policy and Communications Committee Report and a separate Report by the Friends of the Dogs of Hubbard Park (an ad hoc citizen group) were discussed at the October 17 and November 21 meetings of the Parks Commission (both reports are available as background information below). The Parks Commission combined suggestions from the two groups on a Canine Code of Conduct in October. The code was further refined and adopted in November. The new Canine code of conduct is as follows:

Canine Code of Conduct for Hubbard Park

• Dogs are welcome in Hubbard Park and may be off leash.
• City Ordinance requires dogs to be under voice control or leashed at all times.
• Always keep your dog in sight.
• Don't assume others want to interact with your dog.
• Carry a leash for each dog you walk, and be prepared to leash your dog as needed.
• Dog owners must pick up after their dogs. Use receptacles provided
or carry out.
• Dogs must have current rabies vaccine.

Canine Code of Conduct for North Branch River Park

• Dogs are welcome in North Branch River Park and must be on a leash at all times.
• City Ordinance requires dogs to be under voice control or leashed.
• Don't assume others want to interact with your dog.
• Dog owners must pick up after their dogs. Use receptacles provided or carry out.
• Dogs must have current rabies vaccine.

Background Documents:

Dog Waste Subcommittee and Pet Waste Station Project

A subcommittee of the Parks Commission produced this Dog Waste Management Proposal, which was approved at the August 29 Parks Commission Meeting. The stations have been purchased and installed around the city. There is ongoing fundraising for the maintenance of these stations (for purchasing bags and removing the waste). There is more information about the fundraising here:Pet Waste Station Project.
We are very grateful to the people who have already donated to this project! That list is available here.
Any donations to this project are tax deductible (as allowable under IRS Code 170(c)(1)
Please make checks payable to: City of Montpelier Parks - Pet Waste, City Hall, 39 Main St., Montpelier, Vt. 05602

Citizen support for Montpelier’s parks is always appreciated, and donations help us leverage additional support and grants from a variety of sources. If you would like to contribute to the Parks or assist in any way, please contact Geoff Beyer at the Parks Office (223-7335) or speak with a Parks Commissioner.

For information on Montpelier’s parks department, including maps and natural history information, please visit the Park’s web site: